Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-10-03

III waiting At taDle
Not much, ma'am," said Parkins.
May I ask where you have lived
last?"
The man hesitated for a moment.
ION a ranch. ma'am," he said,
with slight air of being unwilling
to pursue the subject farther. Then
he added, with more alacrity,-
Il was a servant to a gentleman
out in Wyoming"
"Ah y said Mrs. Madison.
She had rather intended to bully
John Parkins. but somehow the man.
ner of the man forbade it.
Having this unaccountable feeling
that further investigations would be
almost an impertinence, she proceed
ed to instruct the new butler as to
what would henceforth be required
of him.
He showed great alacrity-zeal not
according to knowledge. But in
spite of few awkwardnesses on his
part he produced favorable impress
sion on his new mistress.
Dinner that day passed off remark
ably well. considering that Parkins
was rather nervous, as servants are
apt to be in new places.
Miss Arden could not help admir-
ing his personal appearance and gen.
tlemanly manner, and Mr.. Madison
sat at the head Of the table. smiling
blandly and full Of elation at the sue
cess Of his latest venture.
When dinner was over, Mrs. Mad
ison entered the pantry to ascertain
now the new functionarv was behav-
ng. She was surprised at seeing a
row of wet plates standing all around
the room. leaning their backs against
the wall.
"Why, Parkins, what ever are you
doing with these plates:" she cried.
Il was letting them dry a bit,
ma'am," he said. "Have l done
wrong?"
''Certainly," said Mrs. Madison.
1.-The towels in that drawer are for
drying the china
Parkins blushed so brightly that
she really pitied him.
Beg pardon, ma'am," he stam-
me1ed, ''but you see a man gets aw-
fully rough in the west, ma'am. We
hadn't any towels on the ranch.
Thank you, ma'am. III use them in
future. I'm very anxious to learn"
The drawing-room was henceforth
entertained ---l- orle r---i'ry episodes,
eials ~~a the beginning.
In the main. however, + arkins gave
satisfaction. He was diligent, al
most chivaIrous in his attention to
the wants of the ladies.
The defects in his education as a
butler were soon remedied, for Mrs.
Madison was an excellent housekeep-
er and was willing to take untold
trouble to instruct any one who was
teachable.
The fresh, handsome face of Par
kins. his respectful and manly bear
ing, and his charming English accent,
which was evidently that of a cock
nev. ingratiated him with his employ
ers, and even their acquaintance.
Occasionally a new book or paper
was missing from the sitting-room,
and more than once it was found in
the pantry among the cloths and
plate powder. In one case the miss
ing volume was one of Lecky's, and
Miss Arden, who had searched in
vain. asked Parkins if he had seen it.
He confessed to having borrowed it /;
and when Sylvia looked at him with
obvious surprise, he made some con-
fused remark about "bettering his
education.'
IF he can appreciate that book,
said Miss Arden afterwards to her
sister, "his education doesn't need
much bettering."
One evening, when John Parkins
had been with the Madisons for a
month or more, some newly arrived
English people dined at the house.
From the moment when the party
sat down to the table, Parkins began
to behave strangely. He became
absent minded and inattentive. His
strongest desire appeared to be to
get out of the room as quickly as
possible.
Mr.. Madison was annoyed, and
thought for a moment that hls butler
might be under the influence Of IL
quor; but after he had watched him
for a minute or two he was convinced
that the man was perfectly sober,
though evidently laboring under
great mental perturbation.
But as one can not watch ones
butler all the evening, Mr.. Madison's
attention was soon diverted, and the
circumstance passed from his mind.
One day in the early spring a let
ter came for George Madison from
the British legation in Washington.
1t requested information in regard
70 the whereabouts of Cecil Finch,
an English gentleman who was sup
posed to be in the United States at
that time. Mr.. Madison replied with
polite brevity that be had never had
the pleasure Of knowing any one Of
that name. There he thought the
matter would rest. But by return Of